Psy goes for 'Gangnam' departure with new single

Nicole Evatt Associated Press

Posted:
06/09/2014 09:05:10 AM CDT

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In this Wednesday, June 4, 2014 photo, South Korean musical performer Psy speaks during an interview in Los Angeles. The ubiquitous 2012 hit is one Psy knows he probably will never top, and that makes creating new music quite a challenge. ?People always comparing my new thing with ?Gangnam Style,? which is unbeatable,? said Psy in a recent interview at YouTube Space LA. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

The ubiquitous 2012 hit is one Psy knows he probably will never top, and that makes creating new music quite a challenge.

"People always comparing my new thing with 'Gangnam Style,' which is unbeatable," Psy said in a recent interview at YouTube Space LA. "That means I have a severe, heavy pressure on my shoulder. ... In that way I don't like the song."

The bizarre, colorful video featuring the now-iconic horse gallop dance recently surpassed 2 billion, a record for YouTube. The South Korean pop star also holds the record for most views in a day with 38 million for his "Gangnam Style" follow up "Gentleman."

The 36-year-old, who was widely famous in Korea before "Gangnam," remains humble about his relatively new international fame. He admitted he is just as thrilled and surprised as his fans when he's recognized on the street.

"If I'm walking out and no one's recognized me and no one is asking me about autograph or photograph that's a tragedy," he said. "I should quit my job with that. So sometimes it's tired, yes of course, but that's part of my job."

Psy decided switching genres would be his best bet for another hit with his latest single so he teamed with Snoop Dogg on the hip-hop track "Hangover." He said the American rapper signed on immediately after only hearing the song's title.

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The "Hangover" video, which debuted Sunday on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Psy's YouTube channel, serves as a lesson in Asian hangover remedies.

"This video is not about dance moves, but it's about like culture exchanging," Psy said.

Psy signed with Justin Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, after "Gangnam's" initial success. He said he appreciates Braun's guidance and impressive drinking abilities.

"He is the most strongest tolerance with alcohol among Americans," Psy said. "Asians drink really hard and really mixing everything and really drinking hard every day. So literally I was kind of like unbeatable person with the alcohol before I meet Scooter."

Psy will return to his EDM roots on a new EP, due later this year. But this time he plans to include more English lyrics.

"All the people you know, except Korea, they don't have any idea what I'm saying right? They're just waiting for 'Hey, sexy lady,' he said of an English lyric from "Gangnam Style." ''I figured out like maybe from now on I should communicate more."

But for now he'll continue rapping in his native Korean on Braun's advice: "He saying, 'If you are rapping in English we already have so many rappers who's way better than you. But if you rap in Korean, you're No. 1 in this country,' which is really smart."

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